RecruitingNot Applicable

Virtual Reality for Recovery After Intensive Care (PICS)

Portugal51 participantsStarted 2025-12-06

Plain-language summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if virtual reality (VR) helps improve thinking and memory skills in adults who have stayed in the intensive care unit (ICU). The study focuses on people who needed a breathing machine or stayed in the ICU for several days and are at risk for memory or "brain fog" issues. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does using VR improve a participant's memory, attention, and thinking skills after an ICU stay? * Does the "immersive" feel of a VR headset work better to improve these skills than using a handheld tablet? Researchers will compare three groups to see how different types of care affect the brain: * VR-Rehab: Participants use a VR headset to play brain-training games. * Tablet-Rehab: Participants use a handheld tablet to play the same brain-training games. * Standard Care: Participants receive the usual hospital care without digital brain games. Participants will: * Play brain-training games for 12 minutes every day for up to one week while in the hospital. * Complete memory and thinking tests with a researcher at the start of the study and again after two weeks. * Answer follow-up questions about their memory and thinking skills for 6 months after leaving the hospital.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients, 18 years or older * Patients in the Intensive Care Unit * Ventilated patients must be in the post-extubation period * The patient has a projected remaining hospital stay of at least 4 days (assessed by the clinical team) * The patient has RASS score between -1 and +1 * The patient has the ability to move both arms, even if with difficulties, as assessed by the clinical team, to be able to interact with the software * The patient can maintain a stable sitting position (30° to 60°) * The patient is able to communicate (speech, gesturing, or writing) * The patient can communicate and understand Portuguese * The patient or a legal representative provided informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive and neurodegenerative diseases: mental illness requiring institutionalization; acquired or congenital intellectual disability; known severe brain injuries (e.g., stroke with significant residual deficits); moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) (defined by the duration of loss of consciousness/post-traumatic amnesia or documented residual deficits); diagnosed neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease with severe movement impairment, Huntington's disease, severe Alzheimer's disease, or dementia of any etiology that prevents autonomy in daily life at baseline) * The patient uses neuromuscular blocking agents * The patient has a positive CAM-ICU result at the time of initial screening * The patient has active psychot…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Since this trial is in an early/exploratory phase (Phase NA) and uses virtual reality as a rehabilitation tool after ICU stays, how much is already known about whether VR is safe and effective for people recovering from critical illness, and how does that compare to standard rehabilitation approaches?
2This trial is measuring cognitive recovery using something called the Montreal Cognitive Assessment — does my own level of cognitive impairment after my ICU stay match the kind of patients this study is targeting, and would that test be a meaningful way to track my personal recovery?
3What does participating in VR-based rehabilitation actually look like day to day — how often would I need to do sessions, where would they take place, and is that realistic given where I am in my recovery right now?
4Would joining this trial mean I might miss out on or delay any standard post-ICU rehabilitation care that you'd otherwise recommend for me?
5Given that Post-Intensive Care Syndrome can affect physical, mental, and cognitive recovery all at once, is a trial focused primarily on cognitive outcomes the most important priority for my situation, or are there other treatment paths we should consider first?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

Timeframe: Baseline (T0), Post-intervention (T2: approx. 15-22 days from start), Follow-up 1 (T3: 30-45 days post-discharge), and Follow-up 2 (T4: 3 to 6 months post-discharge).

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07585500

SponsorUniversity of Minho

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-05

Contact for this trial

Nuno F. Rodrigues

929145931 nunofeixa@gmail.com

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) trials